What to do if the DEF tank gets contaminated

We couldn’t stress more on the fact that Diesel Exhaust Fluid has to be handled with specific equipment to avoid contamination, and therefore avoid damage to the SCR system that would be very costly. So you have all the equipment necessary and you are doing everything right, until someone accidentally mixes the Diesel Exhaust Fluid with another fluid. Although everything was going right, there is always a chance for human error. Depending on the size of the container, here is what you can do.

2.5 gallon bottles: Simply dispose it. There is no way to clean out the container after the Diesel Exhaust Fluid has been contaminated without compromising the integrity of any remaining product.

55 gallon drums: Just like the bottles, the product should be disposed. There is no way to clean out the drum after the Diesel Exhaust Fluid has been contaminated without compromising the integrity of any remaining product. Drums are the easiest to get contaminated, simply because anyone can open and close them. Drums are one way systems, and should be thrown out after each use. These are recyclable and preferred by small operations.

275 & 330 gallon totes : Although not as easy as the smaller packaged containers, you must dispose of the DEF if it becomes contaminated. We do not recommend cleaning out the container after the Diesel Exhaust Fluid has been contaminated, improper cleaning could compromise the integrity of any new product that can be stored. We recommend contacting your local environmental waste disposal company for a nearby disposal site, they can advise were and how this can be done.Totes are meant to be temporary bulk containers, and can be reused, as long as there is a closed loop system and they are dedicated to DEF. A brand new tote, with a closed loop system, refilled only with DEF should never have contamination issues as long as the seal is intact.

Above ground storage tanks & Underground storage tanks: We see this happening in places were there are multiple products being sold. The delivery driver can make a mistakes and off-load in the wrong tank. So not only is the DEF tank contaminated, but there is a high possibility that by the time the clerk figures out what happened, their customers have already filled up with the contaminated product. On a case like this it is important to give us a call so we can asses the damages. We would work on a case by case basis , to determine a plan of action. It is important to know that DEF contamination is considered an emergency and we would need to start working on a remediation plan immediately.

A cleaning crew would be sent out to the tank location as soon as possible. All the liquid would have to be disposed of, whether it is a mix of DEF and another product or even if it is just the other product. After properly cleaning the tank, a new load of DEF would be loaded, and a full lab test completed to make sure there is no contamination. Depending on the size of the tank, this process could take anywhere from 1-3 days to complete.

Purity down the line:

As the manufacturers we recommend to our customers to use the correct DEF equipment in order to keep the product clean down the line of distribution. We work with dedicated tankers to deliver our bulk product and avoid any cross contamination from the transportation of the DEF. For the smaller distributors we sell one way drums that should not be reused, as well as the bottles and totes. Totes come with a closed loop system, and can be refilled as long as the seal is intact. We recommend all our distributors buy totes from us, and discourage buying used totes, saving a couple pennies could cost thousands in damages in the long run.